Executive Summaries for Résumés

As an optional section in your résumé, it helps to have a summary of your credentials after indicating your job objective. A job objective is often just a word or phrase about the opposition you have in mind in your application and to squarely addresses the vacant position. An executive summary following the objective is just a one-paragraph 4-5 sentence narrative that basically answers the question, “why choose you for the position?”

Summarizing your credentials to answer this question can be one of the most difficult thing you can do, often requiring you to make decisions on which credential has the highest priority. But it can be easy if you have narrowed down your credentials that have the most relevance to the position being applied for. The most important thing to state in your summary is the relevant job experience and its time period. That often takes just one sentence. You can cite the most relevant training or seminar you’ve attended that gives you the right to get the position.

Then you can launch a sentence describing your personal qualities relevant for the position. Statements about your eagerness to learn, leadership, ability to work in a team, working long hours, communication skills and other which is an asset to the position are welcome. Awards and commendations can close your summary.

As much as possible, don’t use the same words you already use in the body of your résumé as this can show you have a very limited vocabulary or not resourceful enough which gets revealed in a summary that’s almost taken verbatim to simply echo what’s in the body.